Darian Mensah’s Impressive Start as Miami’s Quarterback
Darian Mensah has stepped up as Miami’s starting quarterback in three games, and remarkably, he hasn’t even hit double digits in completions missed.
In a standout performance on Friday night, he completed 30 out of 34 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns, leading No. 5 Miami to a 33-20 victory over Wake Forest, pushing their record to 3-0.
After just three games, Mensah has completed a stunning 71 of 79 passes.
Moreover, he boasts 11 touchdowns with no interceptions, making a strong case for being a Heisman contender early in the college football season.
The transfer from Duke (originally from Tulane) was nearly flawless against Wake Forest, completing all 20 of his first-half passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns, helping Miami establish a 24-7 lead.
He added to his record by completing his first four attempts after halftime, only to throw an incompletion on his 25th attempt of the game. His initial streak of 24 consecutive completions set an ACC record and extended to 35 when factoring in his performance from the previous game, where he completed 11 passes in a row during a mammoth 77-7 win over Florida A&M.
This tally was just one shy of the FBS record of 36 consecutive completions held by East Carolina’s Dominique Davis since 2011.
Mensah kicked off his Miami career by completing 27 of 30 passes for 401 yards and five touchdowns in a commanding 45-6 win against Stanford.
Last week, he finished with 14 completions on 15 attempts for 252 yards and three touchdowns, showcasing his growing prowess as the season unfolds.
Interestingly, one of Mensah’s teammates, Malachi Toney, is also having an impressive season. Toney proved to be a crucial asset against Wake Forest, racking up 12 receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown.
The sophomore started the season strong, setting a school record with 234 receiving yards and three touchdowns against Stanford. He followed this up with another solid performance against Florida A&M, highlighted by a 52-yard touchdown catch.
Next week, the 5th-ranked Hurricanes are set to host Central Michigan, looking to continue their perfect start at 4-0 before diving back into ACC competition.
